1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a digital broadcasting receiver, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method to display channel information in a digital broadcasting receiver, in which the apparatus utilizes a plurality of tuners.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) is an area of technology that has been receiving much attention in recent times. DMB, as in the case of Digital Audio Broadcasting, involves broadcasting a plurality of programs in a single carrier frequency. DMB refers to broadcasting services in which broadcasting signals are sent via satellite or terrestrial relay stations such that users, even when outdoors or in motion, are able to watch or listen to various multimedia (video, audio, data, etc.) broadcasts through multiple channels using portable or vehicle receivers equipped with omnidirectional antennas. DMB utilizes long band (L-Band) in the 1452-1492 MHz range or short band (S-Band) in the 2310-2360 MHz or 2535-2655 MHz range in order to provide mobile services that are differentiated from existing fixed receiver radio broadcasting. Although most land areas can directly receive DMB broadcasts, areas outside the line of sight (LOS) of the satellites receive DMB broadcasts using gap filters. Even when the user is in motion, services that may be received include various multimedia services such as those associated with multi-channel audio broadcasts, traffic information, vehicle position information, and weather information.
Since a number of programs are included in a predetermined carrier frequency in DMB, to select a program, a user must first select a carrier frequency, after which the user selects the desired program from among the number of programs included in the corresponding carrier frequency. Further, when the user searches for a program that he or she desires to watch, the user must first know beforehand which programs are included in the carrier frequency that includes the desired program. Since there are limits to the user being able to memorize the multitude of programs and their corresponding carrier frequencies, there is a need for a function that allows for easy checking of all the channels of a received broadcasting signal.
Typically, a digital broadcasting receiver has an auto channel tuning function to automatically tune the various broadcasting channels. Accordingly, each broadcasting channel is automatically scanned and tuning information of detected broadcasting signals is stored and managed as channel information in the receiver. The user may then select the desired broadcasting channel. However, with the widespread use of new broadcasts (e.g., cable broadcasting) and the sharp increase in the number of broadcasting channels in recent times, users must spend a significant amount of time in selecting a desired broadcasting channel.
Furthermore, when performing auto channel tuning with the conventional receiver, a representative image for each broadcasting channel is captured and then stored and managed in the device. At the request of the user, one or more reduced images are output together with the channel information stored in the device. However, with the conventional receiver, if there is a significant difference in time between when auto channel tuning is performed and the present time, or if there is no particular distinguishing picture at the instant that the representative image is captured, the collected representative images are unable to sufficiently describe the contents of the channels to which they are associated. Accordingly, there is a need for a channel information display method that allows users to easily select channels.